Uzbekistan, Samarkand and Bukhara

Uzbekistan; a five hour proposed trip from Dushanbe to Samarkand or Tajikistan to Uzbekistan was a 12 hour trip. The roads were pitted with huge pot holes and it took over two hours to go 65km on a dirt road to get to the Tajikistan boarder. Then once in Uzbekistan there were paved parts and then the driver would slam on the brakes because the road would drop 8” or a foot and become a gravel road for a section. To the Tajikistan boarder I took a taxi and was the only one in it, $60 then once I walked through the boarder crossing and had my passport checked half a dozen times I caught a shared taxi with three babushka sisters for $25 the rest of the way. I was happy to share with the babushkas, you just never know who you could be partnered up with and babushkas always take you under their wing. So we shared cookies, nuts had a communal lunch and went the 10 hours together sharing more nuts and fruit.

I am not sure the state of gas over here, but there are huge line ups over 3 km’s long with people pushing their vehicles to move them ahead while waiting for gas. Then there are people at the side of the road selling it out of 2 liter pop bottles or other containers.

In Uzbekistan the sites are spectacular. They are covered with blue/turquoise tiles and there are so many mausoleums and medressa’s (Islamic academies or seminaries) that they start to blend together. Samarkand has been remodeled and has pedestrian streets and modern western looking buildings, but no ATM’s. Yes, none. I have never been to a county with no ATM’s, my card has not worked at certain ATM’s before, but this country does not have them and in my opinion this is the Stan with the most tourism and still no ATM’s. Thankfully I carry American money and can convert this on the black market. The rate is better there and it is a well known fact that you change your dollars on the black market. Guys carry grocery bags full of money. I changed $40 twice. Once I got 80 000 in the licensed place and 106 000 on the black market. The largest bill in Uzbekistan is a 1000 and everyone carries wads of money around. A chocolate bar is 2000, less than a dollar or a dollar depending on what rate you are going by. Luckily I had American to use and if I didn’t there is the option of doing a cash withdrawal on your credit card, will need to revert to that in the end probably but in the mean time I am eating two minute noodles and shashlyk (meat roasted over hot coals that costs a dollar) for dinner to keep the American lasting longer.     

Bukhara is beautiful. It has incredible Medressas, mosques and streets winding you through to the many ancient attractions. The weather was great about +12 degrees Celsius. Bukhara is more authentic than Samarkand and has a wonderful vibe to it. The sites and ancient streets are spectacular to stroll through. It hasn’t been as modernized as Samarkand and therefore is more attractive. It is incredible the craftsmanship that exists over here and from so long ago. The architecture, tile work and brick work is fascinating. Let alone their current embroidery work. Speaking of which, I bought a handmade embroidered jacket today that took the girl 30 days to make. So much for trying to hold on to that American. They don’t know how much money they are losing in their economy by not having ATM’s or letting people pay by credit card there are tons of things I could have bought.  

Click on this link for pictures from Uzbekistan, Samarkand and Bukhara

The pictures with the blog don't do justice for what is included in the above link. Sorry there are tons of photos and I am sure they all start to look the same, but there are so many incredible sites.